LOS ANGELES – The Detroit Youth Choir is firmly focused on achieving a goal no choir has done before, become the first choir to win "America's Got Talent."
I can tell you after sitting in on a couple of their practices, they are fiercely determined to make this dream a reality.
The choir performed on the hit NBC show "America's Got Talent" in June. Terry Crews, the show's host, is from Flint, Michigan. He was so moved after their rendition of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' "Can't Hold Us," he hit the golden buzzer, putting the Detroit Youth Choir through to the live shows, which begin, the middle of August.
"Every man and woman on this stage represents me and where I came from. I remember sitting at my window in Flint, Michigan, dreaming about wanting to make it and wanting to be here and they are here," Crews said during the episode.
Watching Crews leave the stage and hit the golden buzzer on the judge’s table is a moment the members of this choir will not soon forget. The confetti was flying, they received a standing ovation, the judges joined them on stage, and they inspired the crowd in the audience and at home.
Now they move to the quarterfinals on Aug. 27 and they have set the bar high for themselves. The choir is made of up members from 8 to 18 years old and they are working very hard. The choir is practicing four nights a week, four to five hours at a time.
During their practices, the choir members were not allowed to show us what they will be performing during the quarterfinals of "America's Got Talent," but we did get to see them warm up.
The warm up seemed like a performance all on its own. They sang three or four songs complete with choreography. They are so into what they are doing, there were times while I was doing interviews in the other room that I could hear them stomping and singing.
"The Detroit Youth choir is a community-based choir. We have a lot of inner-city kids. Some of them have bad home situations or they can be in the streets, there's violence. We give them something positive to come and be a part of," said Anthony T. White during the show. He has been the choir director for the past 21 years. "We can take that little bit of talent and pour some water on it and grow it."
I can’t wait to see what this youth choir does next.
Local 4 is committed to following the Detroit Youth Choir as they compete on "America's Got Talent."
I will have a series of special reports leading up to their next performance of the show starting Tuesday at 5 p.m. We will also be heading to Los Angeles as the show progresses to bring you the latest on the Detroit Youth Choir's journey both Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit.com.